:04:26. > :04:29.Hello and welcome to highlight of the 165th running of the John
:04:29. > :04:34.Smith's Grand National. There are few sporting events that bring our
:04:34. > :04:40.great nation as close together as this unique occasion. We all have
:04:40. > :04:44.great memories of the rage - Red Rum's hat-trick and Aldaniti's
:04:44. > :04:51.record. Who will write the next chapter in the story of the world's
:04:51. > :04:59.greatest race? Spring comes to consciousness and
:04:59. > :05:04.sets the pulse racing. Across these thrilling fields, where plot twists
:05:04. > :05:12.extend beyond the immortal realm and Morse and palms greased betting
:05:12. > :05:16.slips between fingers crossed. Reminiscence from the big chair of
:05:16. > :05:24.flight without wings tearing through the air. Flashback cutaways
:05:24. > :05:28.to monochrome coalitions. Men for all seasons jockey for position.
:05:28. > :05:36.The commotion of a motion, the first to show. The electric
:05:36. > :05:40.sprinters, the ready, steady, Go. The blinkered view. The mythical
:05:40. > :05:46.flying horse, the too good to be true. The Rev Prof muscle, the
:05:46. > :05:50.pound of flesh, the old, the young, the tired, the fresh. Owners,
:05:51. > :05:57.trainers, runners, riders, dead certs, favourites, fancied
:05:57. > :06:02.outsiders. This heroic, no bile equine beauty simply served to
:06:02. > :06:08.widen the smile. It is about place, culture and nothing comes within a
:06:08. > :06:18.mile. The geography has never changed for the wise man or the
:06:18. > :06:18.
:06:18. > :06:22.full. It is in the country's DNA - Aintree, Liverpool.
:06:22. > :06:26.Aintree will miss a dear friend today. Ginger McCain, trainer of
:06:26. > :06:29.the Great Red Rum, sadly passed away in September last year and is
:06:29. > :06:33.remembered here at the racecourse with this magnificent statue that
:06:33. > :06:40.overlooks the winners' enclosure. There was a poignant moment on
:06:40. > :06:47.Thursday, when cloudy laying won the Fox Hunters' Chase. On the same
:06:47. > :06:53.day, the great Big Bucks won an amazing 17th race in a row. What a
:06:53. > :07:00.horse he is, a true champion. As he comes up to the line, there is warm
:07:00. > :07:04.applause from the appreciative crowd at Liverpool. And on Friday,
:07:04. > :07:13.always when in, at the age of 11, became the first horse to win the
:07:14. > :07:16.top and chase for the third time. And history in the making in the
:07:16. > :07:21.Topham Chase for the third consecutive year. So will create
:07:21. > :07:24.history in today's Grand National? A sell-out crowd gathered at
:07:24. > :07:30.Aintree for what promised to be a fabulous occasion. The National
:07:30. > :07:33.course once again looked in magnificent shape. Adding extra
:07:33. > :07:37.spice to the afternoon's action was the battle for the championship
:07:37. > :07:45.between Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls. Neither had won the Grand
:07:45. > :07:47.National before. Sadly, Ruby Walsh would miss his big race wide after
:07:47. > :07:56.crashing in the Aintree Hurdle earlier in the afternoon. His place
:07:56. > :08:01.was taken by Paul Townend. They joined the 38 riders for the last
:08:01. > :08:05.moment of calm for the traditional voter before the race. No. 1 was
:08:05. > :08:10.Synchronised, ridden by the champion jockey Tony McCoy. Last
:08:10. > :08:16.year's winner Ballabriggs was back, bidding to become the first horse
:08:16. > :08:20.since Red Rum to win the race in successive years. Nicky Henderson's
:08:20. > :08:24.representative was Shakalakaboomboom, ridden by Barry
:08:24. > :08:30.Geraghty, while Paul Nicholls was pinning his hopes on Neptune
:08:30. > :08:34.Collonges, ridden by Daryl Jacob. Katie Walsh Road Seabass for her
:08:34. > :08:40.father Ted, hoping to follow in the footsteps of her brother Ruby, who
:08:40. > :08:45.had won the race before. The other woman in the race was Nina Carberry,
:08:45. > :08:50.Katie's sister-in-law, riding Organised Confusion. Beforehand,
:08:50. > :09:00.Tony jockey was unseated from Synchronised. But after being
:09:00. > :09:17.
:09:17. > :09:20.checked over, horse and rider were So after all the drama of Tony
:09:20. > :09:24.McCoy being unseated on Synchronised, we are all set for
:09:24. > :09:34.the 2012 John Smith's and National. There will win? Here is our
:09:34. > :09:38.
:09:38. > :09:46.them forward. They are off and running in the 2012 John Smith's
:09:46. > :09:56.Grand National. Write down the inside, State Of Play and Killyglen
:09:56. > :10:06.are first away. They are followed by a Swing Bill. Viking Blond in
:10:06. > :10:06.
:10:06. > :10:14.the front rank. I could not see the leaders at first. Viking Blond was
:10:14. > :10:18.the faller. Viking bomb has gone at the first. Swing Bill is up there
:10:18. > :10:26.with State Of Play. Then comes Always Right. Synchronised towards
:10:26. > :10:36.the back of the field. Junior is down at the second fence. I saw
:10:36. > :10:37.
:10:37. > :10:47.Shakalakaboomboom jump through. A bad mistake from Vic Venturi.
:10:47. > :10:48.
:10:48. > :10:55.Shakalakaboomboom is just ahead of Swing Bill and Giles cross.
:10:55. > :11:01.Shakalakaboomboom and Seabass are ahead. We have lost one. State Of
:11:01. > :11:07.Play has gone. Chicago Gray has gone as well. They now come towards
:11:07. > :11:15.Becher's Brook. It is Shakalakaboomboom, Planet Of Sound,
:11:15. > :11:24.Deep Purple and then Swing Bill. Sunnyhillboy is towards the outside.
:11:24. > :11:30.Synchronised is down at Becher's Brook! It is Shakalakaboomboom,
:11:30. > :11:40.Seabass. Afrobeat has fallen. The leaders are about to tackle the
:11:40. > :11:41.
:11:41. > :11:45.Canal Turn. It is Shakalakaboomboom, followed by Always Right, Seabass,
:11:45. > :11:55.and according to Peter. Killyglen has gone. Organised Confusion has
:11:55. > :11:56.
:11:56. > :12:00.also gone. Now the leaders are jumping Valentine's. Of the Supreme
:12:00. > :12:03.appears to be the last one to go. With the stretch jacket,
:12:03. > :12:09.Shakalakaboomboom is just the leader in the National. A bad
:12:09. > :12:18.mistake from Deep Purple, further back in the field. Planet of sand
:12:18. > :12:23.and Seabass were the leaders. Giles Cross has been pulled up towards
:12:23. > :12:29.the rear of the field. Planet Of Sound has gone now as they come up
:12:29. > :12:39.to number 12. Shakalakaboomboom in second place. In third place is
:12:39. > :12:44.Seabass. Ballabriggs is in mid- division. Now they run on towards
:12:44. > :12:48.the recourse proper. As they cross over now on the first occasion and
:12:48. > :12:56.heading towards fence No. 13, Planet Of Sound has been jumping
:12:56. > :13:01.spectacularly and is in the lead ahead of Shakalakaboomboom. Behind
:13:01. > :13:05.them at is always write in fourth place followed by Hello Bud and
:13:05. > :13:15.Deep Purple, followed further back by a Swing Bill. Further back,
:13:15. > :13:21.
:13:21. > :13:31.midnight -- haze. Planet Of Sound is the leader as they head towards
:13:31. > :13:33.
:13:33. > :13:42.the 14th. According To Pete is just behind them. Deep Purple is not
:13:42. > :13:52.jumping well. On the inside his Ballabriggs. Sunnyhillboy is out
:13:52. > :13:54.
:13:54. > :14:00.wide, followed by Neptune Collonges. One has gone, the others are over
:14:00. > :14:10.safely. The leader is Planet Of Sound at the, then
:14:10. > :14:12.
:14:12. > :14:20.Shakalakaboomboom, Seabass in third. Then Neptune Collonges. On the
:14:20. > :14:26.inside, midnight haze. On the inside is On His Own, followed by
:14:26. > :14:32.Cappa Bleu. Then there is In Compliance, followed by swindle and
:14:32. > :14:41.Deep Purple, who is going backwards. Treacle is right at the back.
:14:41. > :14:45.Neptune is at the back as well. Vic Venturi is third from last. Planet
:14:45. > :14:52.Of Sound leads them now by three or four lengths to Shakalakaboomboom
:14:52. > :15:02.in second place. Quiscover Fontaine has gone as they come to number 18.
:15:02. > :15:04.
:15:04. > :15:10.On His Own and Seabass are close by. They come to the ditch now. Planet
:15:10. > :15:19.Of Sound has been joined by Shakalakaboomboom. Then Seabass.
:15:19. > :15:29.Behind these is On His Own. Vic Venturi is refused. It is Planet Of
:15:29. > :15:32.
:15:32. > :15:38.Sound and Shakalakaboomboom. Then Cappa Bleu and Neptune Collonges.
:15:39. > :15:43.Neptune, and Treacle are other back. Deep Purple has pulled up. They are
:15:43. > :15:49.now approaching Becher's Brook for the first time. It is Planet Of
:15:49. > :15:53.Sound, ahead of Shakalakaboomboom. Seabass is still there. So are
:15:53. > :16:03.Sunnyhillboy and Neptune Collonges. On His Own is down. According To
:16:03. > :16:03.
:16:03. > :16:10.Pete has been brought down at Becher's Brook. Mon Mome has been
:16:10. > :16:20.pulled up. It is Shakalakaboomboom in front. Planet Of Sound in second
:16:20. > :16:21.
:16:21. > :16:29.place. Cappa Bleu is then followed by In Compliance and Ballabriggs.
:16:29. > :16:39.Ballabriggs may have made a mistake. At the back of the field, Neptune
:16:39. > :16:49.
:16:49. > :16:55.Equester. Five more to go. Planet Of Sound just leading. Sunnyhillboy
:16:55. > :16:59.is towards the outside. In Compliance is just behind those.
:16:59. > :17:04.Ballabriggs tried to make some progress late on in the race now as
:17:04. > :17:09.they raced towards the finish. Swing bowler still going.
:17:09. > :17:18.Shakalakaboomboom and Planet of sound are the leaders. Ballabriggs
:17:18. > :17:26.is beginning to close as well. Webb is still going, but well behind --
:17:26. > :17:30.Wood. There are two fences left to jump. Shakalakaboomboom is the
:17:30. > :17:36.leader. On the outside, starting to move up, is Planet Of Sound, but he
:17:36. > :17:43.is under pressure. Now Katie Walsh is coming up on the inside on
:17:43. > :17:51.Seabass, followed by Hello Bud. They have got two left to jump.
:17:51. > :18:00.Katie Walsh on Seabass is on the outside. They are Kirov
:18:00. > :18:08.Sunnyhillboy. In Compliance is running well. On the outside,
:18:08. > :18:14.Sunnyhillboy. One left to jump for the Grand National. Seabass is the
:18:14. > :18:19.leader, followed by a Sunnyhillboy and Neptune Collonges. They are
:18:19. > :18:24.Kirov Shakalakaboomboom. But Sunnyhillboy has taken it up for
:18:24. > :18:28.rich in a clone and as they come to the elbow. Katie Walsh is coming
:18:28. > :18:32.back. Neptune Collonges is joining in as well. It is Sunnyhillboy,
:18:32. > :18:38.with 100 yards to go. Neptune Collonges digging deep on the
:18:38. > :18:44.nearside. Sunnyhillboy in front. He is a half lengths in front. Neptune
:18:44. > :18:50.Collonges is diving and... Oh, it is very tight between Sunnyhillboy
:18:50. > :19:00.and Neptune Collonges! A photo in the Grand National. Then in third,
:19:00. > :19:13.
:19:13. > :19:17.the near side is Neptune Collonges! It is tight! It looks like the grey
:19:17. > :19:27.might have just got there by a nostril. Neptune Collonges and
:19:27. > :19:28.
:19:28. > :19:32.Sunnyhillboy. Daryl Jacob may have Neptune Collonges may have snatched
:19:32. > :19:42.it, Paul Nicholls the trainer, Daryl Jacob the winning rider. It
:19:42. > :19:43.
:19:43. > :19:49.is desperately tight. There is Richard McLernon on Sunnyhillboy.
:19:49. > :19:54.Daryl Jacob, who on the evidence of that, what we have just seen, may
:19:54. > :20:00.have just snatched victory in the last stride. We are waiting for the
:20:00. > :20:08.official verdict. Ruby Walsh is just going over to Paul Nicholls...
:20:08. > :20:13.Here is the result of stock Neptune Collonges.
:20:13. > :20:20.For first is number four, Neptune Collonges, second is number 26,
:20:20. > :20:29.Sunnyhillboy, third is Sea Bass, Katie Walsh, and fourth number 19,
:20:29. > :20:35.Cappa Bleu. That are the first four in the 2012 Grand National. Daryl
:20:35. > :20:39.Jacob, officially the winning rider, Neptune Collonges, the winner.
:20:39. > :20:47.Congratulations! The moment that that was announced, what was it
:20:47. > :20:53.like? It is so good! I said I would do him proud and you can't beat
:20:53. > :21:01.this! Just take us through the run from the elbow to the finish line.
:21:01. > :21:06.It looked as if you were not going to get there! I always said I would
:21:06. > :21:09.ride the Grand National and I am glad I have done it. You have got
:21:09. > :21:15.him his first Grand National winner and you have got your first, well
:21:15. > :21:21.done. This man has been trying for so long to win this race and with
:21:21. > :21:29.your 53rd horse, you have done it. Probably the best horse we have put
:21:29. > :21:34.in the race. Genuine... It was a fantastic ride, from Daryl Jacob.
:21:34. > :21:40.Absolutely brilliant. I know my landlord will be watching. If it
:21:40. > :21:45.was not for his support, I would not be here now, so thank you, Paul.
:21:45. > :21:54.Given the races you have one, where does this rank? It has blown Nicky
:21:54. > :22:00.Henderson out of the water! This is a good race, this is the one we
:22:00. > :22:04.wanted as well. Let's get ready for a picture, we will let you do that.
:22:05. > :22:11.Katie Walsh, the ride of your life on Sea Bass. You are the highest
:22:11. > :22:16.place female jockey ever. I got an unbelievable spin. I was wrong a
:22:16. > :22:21.couple of times and he put me right, and it was a fantastic experience
:22:21. > :22:27.and I can't believe it is over, I want to do it again! It looked as
:22:27. > :22:33.though you might win? Yes, as I was turning in, that reset, how are you
:22:33. > :22:39.going? He couldn't last. I was never going to win but it was the
:22:39. > :22:43.best I was going to be. They need to check their weight. The coolest
:22:43. > :22:51.thing she did was to pull down her goggles so she could have a clear
:22:51. > :22:55.vision at the last! For John Hales, the owner of the grey, he has had
:22:55. > :23:00.moment of delight and tragedy. He has never had a runner in the Grand
:23:00. > :23:04.National, he did not want to do it. His very first one, Neptune
:23:04. > :23:08.Collonges, has come home as the winner and you have to feel for
:23:08. > :23:14.Ritchie McLernon on Sunnyhillboy beaten in the tightest of finishes.
:23:14. > :23:18.Daryl Jacob, we can speak to you again. All of the people that have
:23:18. > :23:24.supported you through your career, who are you thinking of most?
:23:24. > :23:28.Kieren Kelly, he has been a big help to me and he told me to come
:23:28. > :23:33.over to England and this is massive for him. I am delighted for Robert
:23:33. > :23:38.and Sally for bringing me on the way that they have, and also Paul
:23:38. > :23:43.for looking after me this year. That had to be amazing. Did you
:23:43. > :23:48.know you had one? It was very tough, it was a very close finish but I
:23:48. > :23:53.just kept my head down. Fair place to the horse, he went deep today.
:23:53. > :23:59.He jumped from fence to fence. is the moment you can celebrate
:24:00. > :24:04.your victory. Than Skelton smacking you on the back! It was a massive
:24:04. > :24:09.team effort. All credit to everybody, it was a team effort and
:24:09. > :24:14.I am very lucky to be a part of it. If I am so pleased for you. We must
:24:14. > :24:18.offer congratulations to John Hales, the owner, you have been involved
:24:18. > :24:24.in a lot of good horses and this has to be the greatest but almost
:24:24. > :24:29.the most heart-stopping moment of all. Yes. When he crossed the line,
:24:29. > :24:35.I thought he might have got it and my first thought was, if he has got
:24:35. > :24:42.it, Paul has retained the championship and I thought thank
:24:42. > :24:47.you, you owe me this one. He split the family coming here. My wife was
:24:47. > :24:50.fifty-fifty. Lisa, my daughter, could not face it but now she is
:24:51. > :24:54.overwhelmed by emotion because we had sad memories of coming to
:24:55. > :24:59.Aintree. We have nothing against entry, we love coming here, and
:24:59. > :25:02.thank God we have come up trumps today. I am so pleased for you, or
:25:02. > :25:08.well done. Neptune Collonges has his name
:25:08. > :25:12.painted on the legendary roll of honour and becomes the first grey
:25:12. > :25:17.since 1961 to win the Grand National. His owner, John Hales,
:25:17. > :25:21.has always had an affinity for the grey and Neptune Collonges gave him
:25:21. > :25:31.his greatest moment in racing, as he held aloft the trophy for the
:25:31. > :25:31.
:25:31. > :27:30.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 119 seconds
:27:30. > :27:34.There was a terribly sad postscript to the Grand National.
:27:34. > :27:39.Unfortunately two horses were killed. Synchronised and According
:27:39. > :27:44.To Pete. The managing director of Braintree -- Aintree racecourse is
:27:44. > :27:48.with me. What happened? I would like to say how desperately sad we
:27:48. > :27:55.are went any horse is lost and these were two very sad accident
:27:55. > :27:59.today. Unfortunately, Synchronised fell at Becher's Brook, but got
:27:59. > :28:05.back up and continued, jumped five more fences and then suffered a
:28:05. > :28:09.fractured leg was jumping the 11th fence. According To Pete,
:28:09. > :28:14.unfortunately, was involved in an incident at Becher's Brook where it
:28:15. > :28:19.was brought down and fractured his leg. In specifying the injuries
:28:19. > :28:22.regarding Synchronised, he got used before the race and some people may
:28:22. > :28:30.wonder whether that had any contributing factor to his injury -
:28:30. > :28:34.- he got to lose. Can we clear that up? The three new racecourse
:28:34. > :28:43.veterinary surgeon was there and checked the horse over before AP
:28:43. > :28:48.McCoy was able to get on it and, and there was plenty of time to
:28:48. > :28:53.check everything was in order. People will be concerned about last
:28:54. > :28:59.year, the difficult aftermath, and this year. What is the situation in
:28:59. > :29:04.terms of safety? You have put in a lot of improvements? Safety is our
:29:04. > :29:10.priority. We will never stand still on safety. We will review these
:29:10. > :29:13.incidents in detail. It will involve organisations like the arts
:29:13. > :29:17.-- RSPCA and the British Horseracing Authority and if
:29:17. > :29:27.changes are necessary, we will make them. We understand how this event
:29:27. > :29:30.is so important to the general public. I am joined by Tim Morris
:29:30. > :29:35.from the British Horseracing Authority. What happened was
:29:35. > :29:40.unfortunately, coming round from the start, AP McCoy, they
:29:40. > :29:45.reexperienced, came off and the horse cantered away, it was not a
:29:46. > :29:51.gallop, and AP McCoy was first leaked checked over by a doctor and